“A practical guide to designing commercial-building electrical and communications systems with an emphasis on efficiency, code compliance, and cost control. It combines step-by-step instruction with tables, schematics, and model documents for professional use.”
You can purchase the McGraw-Hill hardcover
KEYWORDS: commercial buildings, electrical design, green buildings, energy conservation
353 pages 6x9 Trade book Available as a Paperback, PDF book, or ebook Read a 15-page preview at Blurb.com
About the Book
Electrical Design Guide for Commercial Buildings is a practical, step-by-step reference for planning and specifying electrical and telecommunications systems in commercial and industrial buildings. Written for working designers, estimators, and technically minded readers, it emphasizes efficient, economical, and code-aware design while helping users move from concept to coordinated layouts with greater confidence. The book brings together design tables, schematic examples, typical floor plans, model documents, and guidance on common NEC tables to support faster decision-making and fewer construction issues. It also addresses energy conservation, cost control, and the use of computer applications, making it useful both as a design aid and as a hands-on professional reference. The overall approach is grounded in real-world commercial practice, with a clear focus on producing lower bids, better coordination, and more reliable system outcomes.
Target Audience & Key Themes
- Electrical engineers, consultants, and building-system designers working on commercial and industrial projects.
- Students or early-career professionals needing a structured overview of electrical design practice.
- Core themes include commercial electrical-system planning, communications/telephone systems, NEC reference use, energy conservation, cost reduction, CAD/computer applications, and practical project coordination.
Detailed Table of Contents
- Chapter 1: Introduction to commercial electrical design — establishes the design process and the book’s practical framework.
- Chapter 2: Organizing the electrical design effort — explains how to structure a project from initial requirements through coordination.
- Chapter 3: Layout and circuiting fundamentals — covers the basic methods for arranging power and related systems in a building.
- Chapter 4: Power distribution systems — addresses how electrical power is distributed and coordinated across a commercial facility.
- Chapter 5: Telephone and communications systems — introduces planning considerations for communications infrastructure.
- Chapter 6: Phase diagrams and system relationships — helps readers interpret system behavior and connect design concepts to real-world installations.
- Chapter 7: Lighting and the visual environment — focuses on lighting design considerations and their effect on building performance.
- Chapter 8: Motors and transformers — explains selection and application issues for major electrical equipment.
- Chapter 9: Load control and energy management — covers methods for improving efficiency and reducing operating costs.
- Chapter 10: NEC tables and code reference tools — presents commonly used code tables for quick design lookup.
- Chapter 11: CAD and computer applications — shows how computer tools support drafting, calculation, and design productivity.
- Chapter 12: Sample details, schematics, and model documents — provides practical examples that can be adapted for project use.
Purchase the Book
This book is still in print. You can purchase a copy at Amazon.com and other booksellers.
Further Reading
Visit the author’s website Energy-Tips.org for more energy-saving ideas + a search engine with thousands more energy tips!